#45 Yes. Get your point across by calling someone an idiot. I don't think the person was being "heartless" it's the fact that the dog may not get anything out of "saying sorry". I would have tried to comfort the dog, if they needed it. I don't think one needs to verbally express it, when one may just be thinking it. Chill out.

#114, I apologise constantly for any creature I release into the wild, or end it's poor life. Death to all flying cockroaches, I don't apologise to them arseholes!

And dogs have verbal responses to pain, they yelp and wrap their tail in between their legs and have those sad puppy eyes and hunched shoulders...they're like furry humans that can't speak and can't walk (most of the time) on their back legs.

So understand not saying sorry to a spider or an ant, because they don't have a verbal reaction to being in pain (that we can hear)

If you step on a pup/dog and hear it cry or whimper and not feel guilty enough to apologise...that's a bit heartless in my book.

Don't qoute me on this, but I've read that insects and spiders don't have the part of the brain that is responsible for pain and fear. So, in other words, it would be pointless to apologize to them, as they don't feel it. I, however, do say sorry if I take the life of any living thing (yes including plants)

It's not the words but the tone you say them in that calm the animal and let them know that the pain they just felt wasn't because they did something wrong.
The dog belongs to the boss. If the boss decides to bring them to work than that is where they belong.

@110 Dogs do understand what you say though. Or at least, they can hear the tone of your voice and decide for themselves what that must mean. Trust me, I know this. I have two dogs of my own. Though I may be wrong, I know that dogs can sense your mood based on the tone of your voice. Saying sorry gently will calm it down and they won't think they did anything wrong.

110- I'm willing to bet money that some, if not most dogs are smarter than some humans. Dogs have the capability to learn up to five words and can behave better than a 3 year old if trained properly. So, tell me again, being backed up with factual evidence that an animal cannot understand the words "I'm sorry."

While that's correct, I doubt it would understand the words "I'm sorry" as "That person shows remorse for having caused me discomfort." It would be something more along the lines of "this is what happens after having been caused discomfort."

Where did you get that they can learn up to 5 words from? Mine know way more that! The commands they know are: sit, stay, shake hands, heel, stand up, come here, go away, back up, gentle, food, park, go see mum/dad, inside, outside, no, get down, go to your basket, and ok (as in release), and mine aren't particularly bright.

when I'm mad at my cat, he tends to meow and rub up against me to say sorry.... he ends up looking so sad I have to forgive him. I'll say sorry too if I step on his tail or do something by accident. I think they know.

111- it's not that they don't understand that they've done something wrong (unless you have a stupid dog, or it's the first time they've done something like that), sometimes they just can't help themselves, kind of like kids. e.g. my dog knows she isn't allowed to touch the kitchen table. But, if there's a roast chicken up there, she's going to be pretty tempted, and might decide a roast chicken is worth the scolding she'll get later.

111- Well, MY dogs don't do that. If your dog(s) are repeatedly getting into the trash, that may be your fault. You should have trained your dog(s) to not do that. Anything can be accomplished with training.